Tag Archives: Washington DC

Chasing A Rooster Down A Rabbit Hole

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My friend Nichola and I have similar travel philosophies. In fact, I trust her judgment so much that I happily stepped aside as she and her husband planned the entire DC trip. They gave me some choices here and there but I more less asked when to arrive and how much money to bring.

We both are of a mind that you can sleep when you’re dead and that you never know what the next bend in the road may bring. As long as you’re already there, you may as well find out.

Her husband asked me if I’m a destination person or a journey person.

Regular readers here likely know the answer to that question. While I’m capable of going straight to a destination I’m much happier when the journey IS the destination. It’s far more fun when you’re free to go off chasing rabbits as opportunities present themselves.

I think he was appalled when I explained this. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph! You two will never get there,” he exclaimed.

We did make it with a few stops here and there and I don’t regret a single one. That’s how I got to experience the dappled light of a late summer morning as I emerged from tree cover and onto an overlook created by the Civilian Conservation Corps. That’s how I got to buy juicy, fresh peaches from a farm stand and see a geological wonder while the rest of the world zoomed by on the interstate below.

Stories on these and other rabbit hunts to come soon.

Meanwhile, here’s a picture of another fun experience – a giant blue rooster. It’s by German born artist Katharina Fritsch. You can see it from the street as you pass by the National Gallery of Art on the East Building’s rooftop terrace.

It was a gift to the museum earlier this year after being created for a project in London in 2013.

The rooster is often associated with awakening, resilience and strength. For this reason, the 14-foot tall piece was donated to the national museum by Glenstone Museum. It’s to honor the American people as a symbol of hope and resilience during the darkness of the pandemic.

I like to ask employees about something they like in their museum. From ticket takers to security guards and docents, most people have something they like to mention to visitors. I befriended an employee who recommended seeing the only Da Vinci painting in America as well as this crazy blue rooster.

Nichola and I were all in for both pieces even though they literally could not be more different.

Seriously, friends: a 550 year old Florentine girl portrayed by one of the world’s masters versus a giant acrylic and steel blue rooster not even a decade old. They are vastly different.

Visiting the rooster gave access to two more things of note- an installation of giant numbers and a fabulous view of the Capitol building grounds.

So, yeah, having a destination is great. Just remember that some of the greatest finds and most fabulous experiences come as you chase that rabbit, or in this case a rooster, around the next bend.

Click here to read about that Da Vinci painting.

A Memorial Fit For A King

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One stop on the nighttime bus tour that we took in DC was the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial.

There are few places that strike awe in my heart these days but this is one of them. It’s a newer memorial, opened in 2011, and one that I had not seen. Visiting at night was a great choice.

Visitors approach through two enormous boulders called the Mountain of Despair, emerging to find themselves facing an enormous rock called the Stone of Hope. Walk around that boulder and you’ll find the likeness of Dr. King breaking through the stone. It’s as though he is stepping out of the rock and into a realm of freedom.

He stares across the Tidal Basin, looking toward none else than the Jefferson Memorial. The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial are visible from here too.

At thirty feet tall, Dr. King is imposing and the expression on his face is one of determination. At least, that’s how I see it.

A 450 foot inscription wall surrounds Dr. King and features fourteen quotes from his sermons, speeches and other writings. Justice, democracy, hope and love are the themes here and the guiding principles that are his legacy these 53 years after his death.

I especially appreciate when memorials use the person’s own words to relate their story.

Perhaps it was the lighting and the darkness playing tricks on my eyes but it appeared he could begin speaking or even take a step forward at any minute.

I stood in awe of this man who was larger than life in his lifetime and who has been immortalized as a giant among men all these years later. So many times I have wondered how different our world might be if not for that terrible day an assassin’s bullet silenced this brilliant soul at the Lorraine Motel .

This memorial is open 24 hours but note that it isn’t super well lit. That makes it a little hard to read some of the inscriptions but it also makes the experience of seeing the big picture here feel even more significant.

My solution? Go at night and during the day! I didn’t see this one up close in the daylight but can promise you that these places are always drastically different night and day and certainly worth a trip both times.

Washington Monument

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Thomas Jefferson envisioned Washington to be “an American Paris” with light and airy streets and low and convenient buildings.

To help fulfill this vision, Congress passed the Height of Buildings Act in 1889 which originally limited the height of any type of building to 110 feet. Years later, Congress changed that restriction to 130 feet.

Consequently, there are no skyscrapers in our nation’s Capitol. Instead, this is a low and sprawling city where the Washington Monument is like a beacon, always present and visible from across the city. At 555 feet, its simple design and marble construction draw the eye and provide food for thought about how George Washington’s legacy continues to be felt across the city and nation today.

The cornerstone for this Egyptian obelisk was laid on July 4, 1848 and it was the world’s tallest building when it was completed in 1884. The monument was officially dedicated the day before Washington’s Birthday in 1885. Progress was slowed by financial difficulties and by the Civl War. In fact, the original design called for it to be 45 feet taller and to be ringed by thirty 100 foot tall obelisks. This ambitious design was scaled back to cut costs.

It seems we’ve always battled the budget.

We walked by but didn’t go inside. You can only get your timed tickets the day prior to your visit by reserving them online. All the same, it’s impressive from the ground both up close and from afar. Want to learn the complete history of the Washington Monument or find out how to reserve your ticket to the top? Click here and get the facts at the NPS page.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about another Washington Monument that we visited this trip.

Salvaged Photo

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I made this picture at the Lincoln Memorial. It was dark and crowded but this man was lingering off to the side, away from the masses and seemingly enjoying a quiet moment. The composition is interesting but the picture is a blurry mess that merited immediate deletion.

However, I played with it, changing it to sepia and sort of like the result. It’s haunting and looks almost other worldly.

It’s not great art but it is kind of cool and sometimes that’s good enough.

The Only Da Vinci In America

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The only place in America where you will find a Leonardo da Vinci painting is the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC.

It is not large, measuring in at just 16.5”x 14.5” on wood. I read that it’s an early work of his and quite rare as he painted fewer than twenty oil paintings in his lifetime. Even the wealthiest American collectors can’t acquire them as European collectors have held on to these rare gems for generations. Acquiring this painting was quite an achievement for this museum.

Dating to the 1470s, it features the teenage daughter of a wealthy Florentine banker. On the reverse side is a painted wreath.

This museum has the best collection of Italian art in America and this is the most important piece in that collection. Consequently, this area of the museum was quite busy and the Da Vinci maintained a steady crowd.

Incidentally, we learned about it when I struck up a conversation with a museum employee. I always ask employees if they have a favorite thing to see and he was quick to recommend this and another piece.

The National Gallery of Art is enormous and is made up of two buildings connected underground. Learn more at their website.

The Summerhouse

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Once upon a time, visitors to the US Capitol Building complained there was nowhere to find shade or a cool drink of water while they were on the Capitol grounds. So when famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead was appointed by Congress to improve the grounds in the 1870’s he included something special in the plans.

I stumbled into that something special this visit and thoroughly enjoyed some stolen moments in this peaceful space. Called the Summerhouse, this red brick grotto is an open hexagon with a fountain in the center.

Large arched doorways are fitted with gorgeous wrought iron gates and flanked by windows. There are stone benches with armrests that provide seating for 22 people.

The fountain was once a drinking fountain fed by a spring. Today, modern water fountains and city water have been added.

It’s the kind of place that makes you wish to linger- even when you have someplace to be. In a city of larger than life monuments and memorials, it isn’t really the kind of place you expect to find hiding amongst the shrubbery and ornamental trees on the sloping lawn of the People’s House. And it does feel hidden as Olmstead was careful to not build something that would interfere with the grounds or the sprawling view of the Capitol building.

It would be a great place to enjoy lunch, to rest your feet while journeying through the city’s landmarks, or to devour a good book on a warm day.

It’s a sharp contrast to the armed police officers stationed on the Capitol building roof and in the shadowy archways of this imposing building.

If you go to the US Capitol, be sure to seek out the Summerhouse. Take a cold drink and relax for a bit while enjoying this historic feature!